New Ways to Watch NBA Games: Mavericks and Pelicans Switch Networks
The upcoming NBA season is set to bring changes for fans of the Dallas Mavericks and New Orleans Pelicans. Both teams will be exiting their regional sports networks owned by Diamond Sports, as revealed in a recent bankruptcy court filing. While the exact details of where their local games will be aired have not been publicly announced, both franchises have a history of televising their games with local broadcasters.
The Pelicans have reportedly reached an agreement in principle with Gray Television to air their games this season, according to a source close to the team. This confirms earlier media reports. However, representatives for Gray and the Pelicans have declined to comment on the matter. In the previous season, the Pelicans aired 10 of their matchups on Gray’s local stations.
Similarly, the Mavericks, who made it to last season’s NBA Finals, had a 13-game agreement with Tegna’s Dallas-Fort Worth stations. Representatives for the Mavericks and Tegna have not yet responded to inquiries about who will broadcast their local games this season.
The Mavericks and Pelicans are not the only teams to make such moves. Several NBA, WNBA, and NHL teams have also left their Diamond-owned regional sports networks in favor of local broadcasters. This trend has been observed as Diamond Sports attempts to navigate its way out of bankruptcy. In fact, some MLB teams that have left these networks will now have their games produced by the league itself.
As part of the terminations, Diamond Sports will receive $1.3 million and over $297,000 in repayments from the Mavericks and Pelicans, respectively, according to the court filing. The split with these teams comes at a time when Diamond is entering into broadcast and streaming rights agreements with the NBA and NHL for the upcoming season as part of its bankruptcy process. These deals, however, are subject to court approval.
Diamond Sports, like many other companies, has been severely impacted by the decline of cable. Despite launching a sports-only streaming service for some of its teams in 2022, the company’s overwhelming $8 billion debt load led to its filing for bankruptcy protection. In recent months, as the NBA and NHL seasons draw near, Diamond has faced mounting pressure to develop a viable business plan and demonstrate its ability to make the necessary rights payments.
One positive development for Diamond occurred this summer when it reached a deal to return its networks to Comcast’s cable TV customers. Comcast, being Diamond’s third-largest distributor, had halted the distribution of the Bally Sports networks in early May. This new agreement with Comcast marks a significant step forward for Diamond Sports.
In conclusion, as the NBA season approaches, the Mavericks and Pelicans are among the teams making changes to their local game broadcasts. They are moving away from their Diamond-owned regional sports networks and seeking agreements with local broadcasters. This shift is part of a larger trend observed as Diamond Sports works through its bankruptcy process. The company has also faced challenges in adapting to the decline of cable and has been under pressure to present a viable business plan. However, the recent agreement with Comcast to restore the distribution of Bally Sports networks is a positive development for Diamond.
